At a Glance

Location: Chile

Impact Areas: Employment generation, Labor inclusion

People Supported:
Indigenous Peoples, Mapuche

Joined NESsT Portfolio:
2022

Overview

Pine nut harvesting is an ancestral practice of the Mapuche communities in Chile. During harvesting season, entire families are engaged in the foraging and extraction of pine nuts, from children to elders. The nuts are rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber; when consumed regularly, they can improve heart and brain health, blood sugar levels, immune function and weight. For local communities, pine nuts provide a stable source of income. 

The Mapuche are the largest indigenous community in Chile. Founded in 2007, Wen Kimey (formely known as “Meliñir”) is a Chilean social enterprise based in Lonquimay, Araucanía that produces and commercializes pine nut products – the enterprise consists of four Mapuche families and sources from over 100 collecting families from the Quinquén and Pantuco Pedregoso communities. 

Wen Kimey produces pine nut flour, pine nut couscous, pine nut coffee, preserved pine nuts, and pine nut jam, through a process of artisanal grinding and roasting. These products are sold through wholesale channels to restaurants, healthy food stores and cooperatives in the Araucanía Region.

Wen Kimey is committed to helping local collecting families to access fair income, offering them training in peeling and dehydration processes to increase their processing capacity. The enterprise has also collaborated with universities to conduct research on the health benefits of pine nuts. The findings helped to improve the value of pine nuts products in the market, empowering collecting families to sell their harvests at higher price points.  

To further promote economic development for Mapuche communities, Wen Kimey offers tourism services, such as horseback tours, food services and lodging. This business line has increased the income and visibility of 100 pine nut collectors that reside in Lonquimay. 

NESsT Investment

NESsT’s investment will support Wen Kimey to invest in a processing plant, a pine nut roasting machine and a dehydrator to increase their production over the next 5 years. NESsT will also support Wen Kimey with working capital to enhance its marketing efforts, helping the social enterprise to reach new markets in Temuco and Santiago, and to grow its team and amplify its impact.